Fret slots too narrow.

[Benjamin Strange]

I'm refretting my wonderful Alvarez 9 string acoustic, and I'm having a hell of a time getting my new frets into the slots. I've ran my saw through the slots a million times, loosened my truss rod, etc. - all the things that should be done with any refret. However, I can't get the new frets to fit - the tang is .003 wider than my saw blade. I can't press the frets in - I've had to hammer them in, and they are fighting me pretty bad. I've bent up a few frets, which will have to be pulled and replaced.

Beyond buying an expensive new tool to file down the tangs, what can I do? Help!

[Benjamin Strange]

Aha! I found a trick: I lubricated the entire board with lemon oil, and then hammered in the frets. I wish I had thought of this earlier; I've been fighting this neck for weeks! Now I've gotten all my frets in - time to start gluing and dressing.

[bassteban]

did you say 9 string? Pics, por favor.

[NJL]

google it, it's really interesting looking!

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by bassteban

did you say 9 string? Pics, por favor.

Yessir.





It's been abused considerably. I've done a lot to fix it and clean it all up - I removed the excessively large pickguard, cleaned up all the glue residue on the face, cleaned up the bridge that had been hacked out with a chainsaw to install a pickup, installed a JLD bridge doctor, and now I'm re-fretting it. It sounds fantastic - I can't wait to take this thing out to gigs.

I've got a few recordings of it up on my website, www.benjaminstrange.net.